Houston-area city greenlights $108 million parks plan

The Houston-area city of Tomball is pursuing a combined $108 million in parks, recreational and trails projects that would acquire property and revitalize existing recreational sites.

Recently adopted by city council, Tomball’s Parks, Recreation and Trails System Master Plan offers a host of recommendations for improving and expanding green spaces. It will serve as a guiding document over the next 10 to 15 years. The plan will help develop a comprehensive and connected system of parks, recreation facilities and trails.

The master plan prioritizes enhancing the downtown experience, festivals, parks, open spaces, recreation and trails for residents and visitors. A fully realized plan would help improve the community’s quality of life with a city-wide trail system that would ensure anyone can reach a park within a 10-minute walk. The plan also calls for exploring opportunities to expand Tomball’s park system.

Currently, Tomball owns 59 acres of greenspace with amenities, equating to approximately 4.9 acres per 1,000 residents. That’s less than half of the national average, according to the plan. Potential funding sources for projects include public-private partnerships, local government funds, grants, park fees and issuing bonds.

The city’s recreation blueprint includes $63.9 million for recommended projects – including $48.7 million to acquire park property on the south side of Holderrieth Road. Tomball would also spend $10.4 million on options north of the Wayne Stovall Sports Complex and another $4.8 million to buy park property on the city’s west side.

The plan includes $41.7 million to support revitalization projects, including a combined $28.9 million for work on Juergens, Broussard and Depot Plaza parks. The city would spend $12.7 million to revitalize the Wayne Stovall Sports Complex. Recommendations include improving lighting, enhancing pedestrian crossings, implementing ADA-accessible walkways, adding inclusive play equipment and renovating restrooms.

The city would also spend a combined $2.5 million to enhance Martin Luther King Jr. and Jerry Matheson parks and upgrade the Theis Attaway Nature Center.

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